This invention relates to a transcription system used by court reporters; and, more particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus incorporating an automatic transcription system for providing real-time use and manipulation of transcribed testimony by attorneys, judges, court reporters, witnesses and clients.
As is well known, legal proceedings such as a deposition or trial involve the participation of, among others, an examining attorney who asks questions and a witness who must answer ("testify") while under oath. These answers ("testimony") are recorded by the court reporter, along with the associated questions and related conversation, using a stenographic recorder. A stenographic recorder is a machine which provides a set of keys which are stroked by the court reporter in various combinations and sequences to represent a spoken word. To provide a backup to the key-strokes, court reporters use a tape recorder to record the entire proceeding.
Older versions of the stenographic recorder only record the court reporter's key-strokes much the way a computer printer does, creating a paper tape containing the printed key-strokes as a record of the legal proceeding. To the untrained eye, the printed key-strokes are incomprehensible. After the legal proceeding ends, the court reporter reads the paper tape and manually transcribes each printed key-stroke back into the words that were spoken, creating a readable transcript of the testimony. This manual process is herein called "manual, post-processed transcription".
Newer versions of stenographic recorders have been developed and linked to computer aided transcription ("CAT") systems to help automate the manual transcription process. Instead of solely using paper tape recording methods, the stenographic recorder also electronically stores key-strokes in built-in memory or on disk. After using such a newer recorder, the court reporter returns to his office and transfers the electronically stored key-strokes to his CAT system for transcription. Although the bulk of electronically stored key-strokes may be translated automatically, the court reporter must still work interactively with the CAT system to translate those key-strokes which the CAT system could not recognize. This nearly automated transcription process is herein called "automatic, post-processed transcription".
The most recent versions of the stenographic recorder also accommodate "automatic, parallel transcription", by electronically sending each electronically registered key-stroke via a telephone line to a remote CAT system during the legal proceeding. This system requires two court reporters working in parallel: one using the stenographic recorder to record the testimony; and the other, who is familiar with the first reporter's key-stroking style, interacting with the CAT system to carry out the transcription of each key-stroke received. Working in parallel, the court reporters might produce a readable transcript within a few hours after the proceeding has ended.
For all of the transcription systems mentioned above, court reporters often use the tape recorder to aid in translating mis-heard words and untranslated key-strokes. To locate the corresponding audio on a recorded tape often wastes a great deal of the court reporter's time.
Automatic, parallel transcription systems have also been unsuccessfully used in a configuration to assist a deaf witness in legal proceedings. Taking the place of the second, parallel court reporter in the aforementioned normal scenario, the deaf witness is placed in front of the CAT system. The CAT system translates and displays the bulk of the key-strokes and sequences in real-time so that the deaf person can read the questions asked. One major problem found in this configuration is that the untranslated key-strokes are displayed in an undecipherable form to all but a court reporter. A relatively large number of the questions asked become unintelligible. Furthermore, the fact that the witness is deaf complicates this matter to a point of failure. For every unintelligible question encountered, the court reporter must stop using the stenographic recorder, read the computer screen and then write down the translation by hand on a piece of paper for the witness. As an additional problem the witness's own words annoyingly echo back to the computer screen within a short delay after they are spoken, making it very difficult for the witness to testify without distraction.
The development of the automatic, post-processed and parallel transcription system was driven solely by the court reporter's need to accelerate the transcription process. Using these systems, the court reporter operates more efficiently, handles a larger volume of work and, as a result, reaps greater profit. Using any of these transcription systems, however, a readable transcript is never received by an attorney, judge or witness until some time after the immediate legal proceeding has ended.
There are a variety of problems facing attorneys, judges and witnesses relating to the development of testimony taken in a legal proceeding. The focal point of most of these problems involves the lack of a real-time, readable record of a witness's testimony while that witness is undergoing examination. Reliance must be based upon either the minimal assistance the court reporter might offer or notes taken which often prove to be burdensome, confusing and untrustworthy. Further details of these problems become apparent when evaluating the type of legal proceeding involved.
A deposition proceeding often involves the participation of a witness, court reporter, examining attorney, associate examining attorney, defending attorney and associate defending attorney. Generally, the examining attorney asks questions to which the witness responds with answers. The associate examining attorney assists the examining attorney in conducting this inquiry. The defending attorney, with assistance from the associate defending attorney, evaluates the questions being asked and raises objections when legally improper questions are detected. If a legally improper question occurs but is not detected, the corresponding answer may be used to the detriment of the defending attorney's case. During the entire proceeding, the court reporter records all of the questions, answers, objections and discussions held during the deposition.
In parallel with the court reporter's recording of the proceeding, all attorneys rapidly take notes in which they attempt to summarize what they believe to be the important factors of what they believe they heard the witness say. Although these notes provide a necessary, working record to aid in conducting the deposition, they are often incomplete, mischaracterize or, even worse, completely misconstrue a witness's answers. Relying on such notes often proves to be detrimental.
If an attorney does not understand an answer, he often asks the court reporter to read the answer back from the paper tape record. The examining or defending attorney may also ask for the last answer to be read back if the answer was so lengthy that notes were not taken fast enough to keep up with the witness. Similarly, either attorney may ask the court reporter to read back the last question for a confused witness. When so instructed, the court reporter stops recording, picks up the paper tape output from the stenographic recorder, searches for the portion of the record at issue, and reads the stenographic key-strokes. This reading is often broken with misplaced delays in pronunciation between phonemes and words making it difficult to understand. Furthermore, because searching for a portion of the record in a series of printed key-strokes proves to be very difficult and time consuming, attorneys are forced to limit requests to have only the most recent Q & A's read back.
More specifically, the examining attorney takes notes in order to help formulate questions during a deposition. These notes are referenced particularly as the witness reveals additional evidence about the same subject. If the deposition runs for several days, the examining attorney often reviews each day's notes during the evening in his hotel room in preparation for the next day of deposition. Reviewing cryptic notes taken many hours earlier often causes further misunderstandings which may not be detected until a readable transcript is received. Operating from unreliable notes, the examining attorney might incorrectly: 1) proceed with irrelevant lines of questioning; 2) reopen resolved, important issues--tipping-off the defending attorneys; or 3) abandon unresolved, important lines of questioning.
A major goal of the examining attorney is to establish the proper form of Q & A's which relate to important issues in a case. In furthering this goal, the examining attorney often attempts to embody one or more of the witness's prior answers as part of a new, summarizing question. Because this new question is often based upon unreliable notes or poor memory, the new question mischaracterizes the prior answers. In response, the defending attorney may correctly object if he detects the mischaracterization from his potentially unreliable notes and poor memory. The objection forces the examining attorney to consider either asking the court reporter to try to find and read back the actual Q & A's at issue or re-asking the entire line of questioning again. More importantly, this objection warns the witness to carefully scrutinize each question relating to this subject before answering. As a result, a battle usually results over superfluous terms and phrases, and obtaining proper form is prevented. Furthermore, even if the examining attorney believes proper form has been achieved, he is often reluctant to verify his belief by having the Q & A read back because it serves to alert the defending attorneys that important information may have come to light. Thus, improper form on critical issues often results.
Leeching away his time for, and therefore the reliability of, his note taking, the examining attorney is also faced with a multitude of other tasks such as: 1) analyzing the response of the witness; 2) formulating a follow up question in view of the witnesses response; 3) analyzing the defending attorneys objections to the pending question; 4) evaluating the demeanor of the witness upon each Q & A; 5) reviewing an outline for the next preplanned question or line of questioning; and 6) writing further notes regarding future lines of questioning to be asked or reviewed that evening at the hotel.
To relieve him of some of the burden, the examining attorney often brings an associate examining attorney with him. The associate does several things including: 1) taking notes to fill gaps in the examining attorneys notes at a break or later that evening at the hotel when the two attorneys plan the next day's questions; 2) ordering and finding documentary exhibits for the examining attorney; 3) writing messages on small pieces of paper (usually POST-IT brand notes) and passing them to the examining attorney; 4) monitoring the passed messages so as to withdraw, supplement or replace them when necessary; and 5) keeping track of the documentary exhibits entered into evidence.
While relieving some of the burden upon the examining attorney, the associate examining attorney creates additional burdens. For example, in suggesting a follow-up question, the associate must rapidly compose a brief message and immediately obtain the attention of the examining attorney before the examining attorney changes the line of questioning. As a result, the examining attorney sometimes forgets his own line of questioning. Moreover, these messages tend to be illegible and too brief for the examining attorney to understand. Without supplementation, these messages serve no purpose but to distract.
To suggest new lines of questioning, the associate may casually draft a rather complete message intending for the examining attorney to read the message at the examining attorney's leisure. However, the mere act of passing the note tends to distract the attention of the examining attorney.
The associate attorney may also pass messages to help counter the defending attorneys' objections or pointing out the witness's demeanor in response to a question when the examining attorney is looking elsewhere. Again, this distracts the examining attorney.
Upon receiving a message, the examining attorney must decide when to read it, and, once read, must decide whether and when to use it. If prior to reading the message, the examining attorney asks the question contained therein, the message becomes no more than a distraction. If the examining attorney determines that the message contains a good question, the examining attorney either asks that question immediately and discards the note or saves the note for a later time. At times, an attorney may have ten to fifteen notes in front of him that he must deal with. This is particularly the case where the associate knows more facts about the witness than does the examining attorney, or where the associate attorney is the more senior or more experienced of the two.
As previously stated, the defending attorney must also take summarizing notes regarding both the Q & A's in the deposition. From these notes, the defending attorney attempts to deduce upcoming lines of questioning, specific details of the examining attorney's positions, strengths or weaknesses associated with those positions and objections such as "asked and answered" or "mischaracterizing the testimony". These notes also remind the defending attorney to discuss incorrect statements made by the witness during a break so that the record can be corrected when the deposition resumes.
Among a variety of other duties also detracting from his note taking ability, the defending attorney must object whenever the question is inappropriate and state the reasons for his objections. Not only do these objections address evidentiary concerns, but some attorneys use the objection to warn the witness to scrutinize critical questions posed by the examining attorney as previously described. Furthermore, all such objections must be seasonable, i.e., before the witness answers a pending objectionable question. Note taking tends to detract from the defending attorney's ability to seasonably object and vice versa.
To help alleviate this problem, the defending attorney often brings along an associate defending attorney. Much like the associate examining attorney, the associate defending attorney takes notes and passes messages to the defending attorney. If the note involves making an objection, the defending attorney will rarely be able to make it seasonably. The messages just cannot be drafted, passed and read fast enough. The notes taken do however help fill the gap found in the defending attorney's notes who can then focus on his other duties. In addition, the description of many of the other problems encountered by the examining attorneys are equally applicable here.
During a trial proceeding, both the plaintiff's attorneys and defendant's attorneys take turns assuming the role and duties of the examining and defending attorneys as previously described in the deposition proceedings. In many cases, instead of a single associate attorney, many associate attorneys may participate. The examining attorney at trial is called the "first chair". The most senior associate attorney, if at least one, is called the "second chair" and so on. There may be several "chairs" representing a single client.
The problems described previously relating to a deposition directly, and perhaps more severely, apply to a trial proceeding. This is due in part to the increased number of attorneys involved. Additionally, several different problems associated specifically with the trial proceeding also exist. For example, because the first chair is often on his feet and not near the other chairs on his team, passing messages or note taking proves to be very difficult if not impossible. This communication gap manifests other problems when the first chair attempts to obtain trial exhibits or other supporting materials. Scrambling to draft and pass a message to, or to reach whispering range of, a lower number chair often occurs. Other chairs that could possibly know of the location of the requested material are often oblivious to the request.
Another communication gap exists between the attorneys at trial and those that cannot attend. Only those attorneys present and listening can respond at the proceeding. Non-attendees who might otherwise be able to assist have no means to evaluate the trial or communicate with the attending attorneys.
On the defending attorney's side, the nomenclature using the first chair, second chair and so on is also used. The problems applicable to the defending attorneys during a deposition are also applicable and compounded at trial because of the enhanced significance of the defending attorney's duties beyond those of detailed note taking. As a result, much of the note taking must be left to other chairs.
A judge must monitor, evaluate, and moderate the procedures and substance of the trial proceedings. Each question or line of questioning, answer and exhibit must be carefully analyzed for content, evidentiary form and relevance so that rulings on related objections can be immediately made. If a judge is distracted, he is faced with problems previously enumerated with having to have the court reporter read back from the record. The judge also takes notes relating to various Q & A's or statements made during trial, particularly when ruling on issues of law or fact from the bench. Due to the multitude of duties facing the judge, the judge's note taking is also subject to many of the other previously mentioned problems.
Currently, facing the foregoing problems are over thirty thousand court reporters and hundreds of thousands of attorneys and judges in the United States alone. Hence, it would be highly desirable to solve the foregoing variety of problems enumerated above facing attorneys, judges, court reporters and witnesses in conducting legal proceedings such as a deposition or trial by using and manipulating testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid the examining attorney's use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which aids associate examining attorneys in the use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system to assist the examining attorney.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which aids the defending attorney in the use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid the associate defending attorney's use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system in assisting the defending attorney.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid the examining first chair's use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid the examining second chair's use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system in assisting the examining first chair.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid all examining higher chairs' use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system in assisting the examining second chair.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid the defending first chair's use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid the defending second chairs' use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system in assisting the defending first chair.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid all defending higher chairs' use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system in assisting the defending second chair.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will aid the judge's use and manipulation of testimony generated in real-time by an automatic transcription system.